Walking along the path, away from that dream, she wondered over the mystery she had woken up to. The more she thought of the castle, the more she thought of the strange man. Reaching a rise in the path she turned back to gaze at the castle.
There was nothing but forest for miles. No sign of a castle of any kind.
"Perhaps it was all just a dream, and nothing more."
* * * * * * * *
From the top tower he watched her walk through the forest. The path was overgrown, yet the trees had yet to fully wipe it away. She reached the rise, a place where the path finally disappeared from view. With the eyeglass up, he saw her turn around and look back. For a moment he hoped that this dreary castle would be visible to her still. That she would recognize it.
Instead she seemed to look past it.
Stepping back he slammed a fist against the stone wall.
"Of course she would forget. Why would I fool myself otherwise?"
Turning away from the despondent scene he retreated into the remains of what had once been a place of light, laughter, and love.
* * * * * * * *
Wolves howled.
The noise was distant, though she would be foolish to think they wouldn't come close.
She had made her way back to the main road. The familiar ruts along the sides eased the sense of foreboding she'd carried with her through the forest. All of the warnings she'd been taught since childhood had never once mentioned what to do if she woke mysteriously in the forest alone.
She paused on next to the mile marker.
No one would believe her if she told them she'd woken up in a. . . the middle of the forest. They would think she'd been there meeting someone, or else think she was a witch. There was no one she would be able to confide in this about.
Shivering she rubbed her arms to try and retrieve some of the warmth. A glance at the sign indicated she still had about a mile until reaching her town. She could see the lights from the gates, the top of the clock tower. She'd never understood why there had been a curfew for the gates before, until now.
"Hey there!"
Startled she nearly jumped into the ditch that ran alongside the road.
"Hello! What are you doing out here so late?"
Turning around she saw the clock maker. He was always running out with his cart and horse, fixing clocks in the surrounding villages, or often as not fixing the new modern contraptions. He was sitting there, waiting for her to respond.
"Good evening, M'sieur Tern. I was out for a walk and lost track of the time." He smiled down at her. For a moment she was puzzled, "Oh!"
He laughed, a warm, light sound.
"Climb aboard Miss Silver. Even if you walked faster, you wouldn't make it inside the gate before they close it down."
"Thank you," she took his offered hand, soon joining him on the driver's seat.
Clucking and giving the reins a light shake they set off at a faster pace than before. He didn't ask her any more questions. She remained silent, even as they passed through the gate and into the town.
"Where are you heading tonight?"
"I can get off here, if that's alright."
The cart rolled to a stop past the inner wall. She hopped down, grateful for the stone beneath her feet. The bustle and noise of the town was comforting after the silence of the day. If only she could remember how she'd come to be in the forest earlier that morning.
"Are you alright?"
Startled she looked up. M'sieur Tern was giving her a fatherly-concerned look. It was as though he could read the expression she was hiding.
"Merely tired is all," she made the lie sound convincing, "Thank you for the ride. Good night, M'sieur Tern."
